


Black Orchid

by BuoyantTrain37



Category: THE iDOLM@STER
Genre: Comedy, Gen, Halloween, Horror, Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-22
Updated: 2020-10-30
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:27:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 19,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26591374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BuoyantTrain37/pseuds/BuoyantTrain37
Summary: Ranko Kanzaki is cursed. Transformed into a creature of the night, she must learn to contain her dark powers and preserve the light deep within her tainted soul.These are the kinds of things she says all the time, but now they're happening for real. Will anyone even be able to notice?
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Based on an idea I've had for Ranko for a while and finally decided to turn into an actual story. This will probably be about five chapters, and I'm trying to get it all out before the end of October. Happy Halloween!

The Producer stared down at the horrific photographs strewn across his desk. Blood-splattered zombies, leering skeletons matted with grave rot, knife-wielding maniacs chasing their screaming victims through the night.

A change, certainly, from the smiling headshots of teenage pop idols that he usually worked with.

He picked up the phone from his desk and dialed a number, listening to it ring a few times before a man's voice answered.

"Hello?"

"Good morning," the Producer said. "I represent 346 Productions, and I was calling to let you know we received your packet in the mail. I was hoping to discuss the details of this event further with you."

He turned over one of the brochures on his desk. Blood-red letters spelled out the name of the event: Transylvania Terror Nights. It was an annual Halloween event, hosted by a major theme park in Osaka, and this year they had reached out to 346 Productions about a special appearance and promotional collaboration with some of their idols.

"Wonderful!" the man on the other end of the line said. "I hope you have found the arrangement to be satisfactory. We're very excited to work with some of the talents you represent at your company."

The Producer nodded slowly, and cleared his throat. "Actually, concerning the details of the contract..." He dug through the pile of gory photographs to find the plain white packet of legal details.

"We had our eye on several of your idols in particular," the man on the other end of the line said. "I believe that was Koume Shirasaka... Asuka Ninomiya... Oh, yes, and Ranko Kanzaki."

The Producer looked down at the promotional photos again. All black with dripping red text, photos of terrified guests screaming as monsters pursued them through the park. One look at this would probably give Ranko nightmares for weeks.

"I appreciate your offer, but I will have to review this with our talent," he said. "In particular, Kanzaki-san will likely..." He tried to think of the best way to phrase it. "She will likely have reservations about associating with any sort of horrific imagery."

"My associates mentioned Ranko Kanzaki specifically! She's a real rising star. Her sales numbers and ratings are through the roof. And her gothic aesthetic has a special appeal to our guests as well."

"Yes, however, Kanzaki-san is very protective of her image as an idol. Her persona is more... subtle, I will say. Her exact wording is that she is a 'fallen angel,' I believe," he said. He hesitated, realizing just how difficult it was to explain Ranko's eccentricities. "In short, she may be incompatible with the event. I will speak to her about the proposal, but I must tell you that she has received offers like this in the past, and turned all of them down."

"Please consider it. I believe that Kanzaki-san will be exactly the right fit for us," the man said. "We eagerly await your response."

The call ended, and the Producer set the phone back in its cradle on his desk. 

It was a good proposal - the partnership with a popular theme park would be excellent for the idols' resumes, and travelling to Osaka would help build their fanbases outside of the local Tokyo area. He had no doubt that Koume would jump at the chance to perform at a horror event. Asuka would probably say yes as well.

Yet they had been interested in Ranko most of all.

Ranko's distinct fashion sense and melodramatic personality were what made her such a popular idol, but she also had a tendency to be misunderstood. She wanted to be dark and mysterious, but never evil or scary. For the Producer, cultivating that image while still remaining true to who Ranko was inside - as deeply buried as that was under delusions of grandeur that the other idols called "eighth-grade syndrome" - was a delicate art.

It was a persona entirely of her own design, and that was what made it work. Far too often, idols would be typecast into roles that didn't fit them, eventually losing themselves in a personality that was wholly artificial and insincere. He didn't want to see that happen to Ranko.

Though at the same time, he realized, it might be good to push her out of her comfort zone. And this event promised a lot of much-needed publicity.

He flipped through the promo materials again, promising visitors endless amounts of terror and thrills. No, there was no way he could show this to Ranko. At least not as-is. Perhaps if he reworked the presentation a bit...

His thoughts were interrupted by his phone ringing - his personal cell, not the desk phone. He picked it up and glanced at the caller ID. Speak of the devil - or rather, the fallen angel and queen of darkness.

_"P-Producer!"_

The voice was shrill and piercing, and he jerked the phone away from his ear. Ranko sounded as if she was in a panic. He grimaced, and slowly moved it back.

"Kanzaki-san, is everything alright?" he asked in a calm, even voice.

He heard a heavy sigh on the other end. "Producer! My most trusted servant, loyal vassal, and dearest friend..."

He had worked with Ranko Kanzaki long enough to recognize some of her conversational habits. A lengthy introduction like this usually meant that she was about to deliver bad news or make a particularly demanding request, and so she would delay it with as many formalities as possible. As she went on, he nodded, and pulled out the notebook he kept on hand for moments such as these.

"Are you alright, Kanzaki-san?" he repeated.

"It is such terrible... such grave news, Producer," she said, with an overly dramatic twinge of sadness in her voice. "The clan of darkness is mustering their power against me... dragging me into the bottomless abyss, from which there can be no escape... I have been inflicted with a terrible curse!"

He flipped through the notebook, searching for the relevant phrases. 'Inflicted with a curse' typically meant she had gotten a cold. Everything about the 'clan of darkness' was probably just superfluous detail, but everything that happened to Ranko was usually the result of demons or angels conspiring around her.

"You aren't feeling well?"

She coughed. It sounded fake. "It is a most grievous malediction, Producer," she said. "I fear the lingering effects may follow me into eternity."

He turned back a few pages. 'Eternity' could mean... well, in his conversations with Ranko, it had been documented as anything from a few hours to several weeks.

"I dearly wish I could see you again, Producer, but I must - "

"I understand. You need some days off work?" he said.

The other end of the line was silent for a moment, then: "Some... days. Yes. That will... suffice."

"Understood," he said. He glanced back down at the brochure on his desk, the one with all the zombies and splattered blood. "Oh, and Kanzaki-san?"

"Yes?"

He hesitated, then shook his head. That discussion could wait. "I hope you feel better soon."

"Oh, that your prayers might reach my tainted soul and bring me back into the light..." She made a small noise, almost as if she was about to add something else, then simply hung up.

Despite the theatrics, he truly believed that she wasn't feeling well. Ranko was a diligent worker, never the type to lie about being sick. He was a little concerned about the length of this 'eternal malediction,' but if she hadn't returned to work by the end of the week, he would call her back and check in.

In the meantime, he'd just figure out how to tell her about this opportunity at a zombie-infested theme park in a way that wouldn't scare her to death.

* * *

Lightning flashed outside, illuminating the darkness of Koume Shirasaka's dorm room with an eerie white light. Rain hammered against the window, and the wind howled outside.

Koume watched the rain droplets running down the glass and smiled. A night like this couldn't be wasted. The weather was just perfect for settling in, turning out the lights and watching a scary movie. She could almost imagine that the rain pattering at the window was actually the claws of zombies, trying to break in and drag her away...

She knelt in front of her shelves of horror DVDs, trying to pick out the perfect title. The room was already dark, almost too dim to read the titles on the spines, but she liked it better this way.

There was another crash of thunder outside, loud enough to shake the walls and cause her to jump. She giggled, and went back to her browsing as the rumbling faded away.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door.

She gasped, the thoughts of zombies rushing back to her. But soon she remembered that she was living in a dorm in Tokyo with plenty of other girls her age. Other idols. One of her friends probably couldn't sleep because of the storm. She stood up, flicked the light switch on, and went to the door.

She opened it just a crack to peek outside, just in case it really _was_ some kind of horrible monster.

It was Ranko Kanzaki, standing patiently at the door in her full gothic regalia. Her face brightened when she saw Koume open the door.

"Oh! Ranko... I thought I heard you called in sick today," Koume said, staring at her blankly.

Ranko didn't look like she was sick, and on top of all that, she was completely dressed up, with her hair styled in perfectly curled twin tails. It was a little spooky to see her standing in the dark hallway, illuminated by the occasional flash of lightning, looking like the ghost of a Victorian noblewoman who had been dead for centuries...

Ranko cleared her throat. "Yes, I have been stricken with a most terrible curse. That is why I have come to you, the Keeper of Forbidden Lore, on this darkest of nights, that we might seek together the knowledge to overcome the evil that has me in its grip."

Koume blinked. It was always hard to understand what Ranko was talking about, but she was pretty cool. It was like talking to a character from an old movie or something. 

"Whatever you have... it's not contagious, is it?"

"I shall do my best to contain the dark powers swirling within!" Ranko said, placing her fingers delicately over her heart. "I assure you, you have nothing to fear from me!"

"Oh. Cool," Koume said. She glanced over her shoulder at the TV. "I was going to watch a movie or something tonight... I know you don't usually like scary movies, but if you want - "

Ranko's eyes lit up. "To dispel the darkness... I must do whatever it takes! Come, show me the way into your archives of eldritch lore!"

Koume smiled, still not really sure what was going on, but it was usually so difficult to talk Ranko into watching anything scary. This could be really fun.

She turned and started to head back inside, then stopped. She looked over her shoulder and saw that Ranko was still standing at the door. She hadn't moved an inch.

"Are you, um... coming inside?" Koume asked.

Ranko's face brightened, and she nodded. "Your invitation is most kind!"

Slowly, Ranko took one step into the room. Very carefully, she placed her foot on the floor, as if she thought it might collapse from under her. Then, once she had taken the first step, she quickly crossed the threshold of the doorway, and let out a sigh. Almost as if she was relieved about... something.

"Are you alright?" Koume said. "You're acting strange... More strange than usual."

"It's... It's my affliction," Ranko said. With a dramatic gesture, she placed one hand over her face, covering everything except one eye. "But no matter! Now that I have entered your innermost sanctum, we can begin the rituals!"

"Great," Koume replied. "I guess... we could pick out a movie, and I could make popcorn if you - "

"No!" Ranko shouted, then quickly composed herself. "No, I mean - if you want to, that's fine, but I'm... I'm not very hungry tonight, so I... won't be partaking in any..." Her voice trailed off. "I must decline your generous offer. The pleasures of the mortal realm are forbidden to me."

Koume shrugged, and went back over to her movie collection next to the TV. She knelt on the floor and began scanning the titles on the DVD cases.

She tried to think of what movies in her collection Ranko might enjoy. She knew that Ranko couldn't deal with zombies at all - nothing involving corpses, or dismemberment, or people getting eaten, or blood. Ghosts were also off-limits, since Ranko was afraid of the dark or any sudden unexplained noises. That eliminated nearly all the best horror movies.

"Hey, umm... did you have anything you wanted to see?" She glanced up at the reflection in the darkened TV screen, and stopped. She could see her own face staring back at her, but the room behind her was totally empty.

She stood up and turned around. "Ranko...?"

Ranko was sitting on the sofa, exactly where she had been before. "There is a particular subject I was seeking your expertise on... Certainly you must have a tome in your vast library that contains the answers I seek."

Koume stared at her, then looked back at the TV. Ranko was still talking, but in the reflection, she was nowhere to be seen. There was only a slight indentation visible on the couch where she was sitting. 

Ranko's voice continued from behind her. "Perhaps you know something of... those who walk in the night, creatures of darkness..."

Koume stared at the TV screen blankly for a moment, studying the image in the glass. The empty space where Ranko should have been sitting. She pushed the hair out of her eyes, just to make sure it was real and not her imagination. She'd seen this before - in an old movie or something, never in real life. 

Ranko didn't have a reflection.

Koume turned back towards Ranko, who was staring at her. She slowly lifted a finger to point at the screen. "What... Uh... Ranko, what is - "

Ranko's eyes widened, and suddenly she leapt to her feet. "Please don't be scared!" she said. "W-Whatever you do, don't..."

As she spoke, Koume spotted a glint of white in her mouth. Long, pointed teeth.

"You have fangs." Somehow it was all Koume was able to say, her voice coming out oddly flat.

Ranko's hand shot up to her mouth. She poked at her teeth with one finger. "Are they... really noticeable?"

"Not especially..." Koume said. She took a step closer. "Can I... see them?"

Hesitantly, Ranko opened her mouth a little wider, and pulled back her upper lip. Koume took a step closer to get a better look. Two of Ranko's teeth came down into sharp points. They weren't much longer than the others, but once you were looking closely, it was obvious. More subtle than the usual prosthetics you'd see in a movie, but somehow Koume knew they were the real thing.

"You're not... scared?" Ranko said. "E-Even though I'm..."

"A vampire?"

Ranko thrust out her arms in front of her and shook her head vigorously. "Speak not the forbidden word!"

"Forbidden word? You mean 'vampire'?"

Ranko just whimpered, and sat back down on the sofa cradling her head in her hands. "A-As I said, I've been afflicted with a terrible curse... It was simply too horrible to speak of, but as expected, you bear the eye that can see through all deceptions."

Koume nodded slowly, and took a seat on the far opposite side of the couch. "I guess I just didn't think you were being serious."

"Y-You're the Keeper of All Forbidden Lore, s-so I came to you so I could understand," Ranko said. "I d-don't know what's happening to me."

"Is this, like, a new thing?" Koume said, studying Ranko from a distance. "You weren't a, um... you-know-what before?"

"It was last night. I departed my quarters for a moonlit stroll, and after that... my memory fails," Ranko said. She spoke slowly, clearly making an effort to keep her voice from trembling. "What manner of demon has done this to me, I cannot say. When I awoke, the dark metamorphosis was already complete."

"Someone bit you? And it was... around here?" Koume said. She glanced at the window, hearing the thunder still rumble outside. She'd often gone out at night for ghost hunts, but to tell the truth, she'd never actually encountered something supernatural. Until now.

Ranko placed a hand to her forehead. "The memories are but a haze... I would tell you more if I could," she said. "But perhaps, somewhere in your Forbidden Lore..."

Koume was starting to understand. Ranko could never stand horror movies, and she hated anything that was even remotely scary. Despite the way she always talked and acted, she didn't actually _know_ much about demons, or fallen angels, or vampires. Probably just whatever information she could gather from the occasional video game or anime. But if you wanted to know the good stuff, you could only learn it from horror movies.

"Yeah..." Koume nodded slowly. "I've got a lot of movies about vampires... You... You want to watch one?"

Ranko nodded. "Only through your archives may I find the knowledge that I seek!"

"Oh... Okay then," Koume said.

She turned back to the DVD shelf in a daze. Was it a good idea to turn her back on a vampire? After she'd been invited in, and could exercise her powers at will?

No, it wasn't a vampire, it was just Ranko, one of her dorm mates and fellow idols... But _also_ a vampire.

_And had she really come over just to watch a movie?_

Koume finally made a decision and pulled a DVD case off the shelf - some old foreign vampire film where the heroes had to hunt down a vampire living in a decrepit castle somewhere in Europe. Just about the most basic version of the vampire story you could think of. The special effects and fake blood were pretty dated and cheesy, but the story laid out just about all the information you could ever want to know about vampires.

"I, uh... I think you'll probably like this one," Koume said. "It's not too scary. Besides, you're... well..." Her voice trailed off. "You'll need to get used to this kind of thing."

Ranko nodded silently.

Koume went over to the lightswitch, then looked back at Ranko. "Did you want the lights on or off?"

"I can see just fine... in the dark..." Ranko muttered.

"I... guess I'll turn them off, then," Koume said, and flipped the switch. The room plunged into darkness, aside from the glow of the television screen, and Ranko's faintly glowing red eyes.

The movie started, but Koume could barely focus on it, not feeling much interest in watching actors in costumes and makeup when there was a genuine vampire sitting on the couch next to her.

From the opening credits started to roll, Ranko was transfixed. Her eyes were locked on the screen, unblinking - Koume realized after a while that Ranko actually hadn't blinked once for at least half an hour. And every so often, when her mouth would open in surprise, Koume could get another glimpse of those two pointed fangs.

Onscreen, the vampire count was kneeling over a woman's bed, about to sink his teeth into the girl's neck. He drew back his head in an exaggerated gesture before chomping down, two streams of blood staining the girl's flesh.

Ranko gasped, and clapped a hand over her mouth in shock. Still, she couldn't tear her gaze away. She simply watched in horrified silence.

 _She really doesn't understand anything about vampires,_ Koume realized. 

The movie did a good job of explaining all the basics of vampire lore - the heroes of the film, a pair of gentlemanly vampire hunters, discussed how the evil Count could transform into mist to glide through the air, how he could use powers of hypnosis to bend weak-willed mortals to do his bidding, and how there were few ways to truly kill him besides sunlight or a stake through the heart.

Koume remembered too late that this movie had a particularly gory finale.

The vampire hunters eventually tracked down the Count and found his resting place in the crypts beneath his castle, and drove a huge wooden stake through his chest. It stuck out of his chest as bright red blood spurted out like a geyser, staining the heroes' faces and splashing across the stone walls of the tomb.

Ranko shrieked and dove behind the couch, cradling her head in her hands and shuddering.

"Hey, uh... Ranko..." Koume peeked over the edge at her. "It's just a movie..."

"There's people out there... who hunt the denizens of the night. They're going to hunt _me!_ " Ranko looked up at her, and her red eyes flashed. It wasn't a trick of the light, they were actually glowing. "They're going to come after me because I'm a monster who... drinks blood..."

"Have you actually... you know, drank blood?"

"No! Never!" Ranko said, shaking her head vigorously. "N-Not yet... But I feel such a powerful thirst..."

She fell silent, and the only sound in the darkened room was the end credits music, a haunting orchestral waltz, sounding tinny and distant on the TV's speakers.

"So, umm..." Koume stood up and walked around the sofa, and sat down on the floor next to where Ranko was still cowering. "I don't think there's actually any vampire hunters around. I mean, this is Tokyo, not Romania, and I don't usually see many vampires around... except you."

Ranko looked up at her, still not saying anything.

"And, to be fair, pounding a stake through your heart would have killed you _before_ all this, too. Actually, the total number of things that can kill you has probably gone down," she continued. 

"No one else can know," Ranko muttered. She lifted her head, looked Koume straight in the eye. "You alone must be the bearer of my dark secret."

Koume blinked, then nodded. "Um, yeah. Sure."

Koume wasn't sure what else to say at this point. It felt surreal, almost like a dream, and yet she knew she was wide awake. The next morning, she'd be going back in to the studio to practice for her next performance as an idol, and Ranko would still be...

This was going to be hard to keep a secret.

"I... I should go," Ranko said. She stood up abruptly, and took a step towards the door. "The d-dark temptations... The c-call is too strong..."

"You're going to need to drink blood eventually, aren't you?"

Ranko froze. "I... Um... There is no need for a mortal to concern themselves with that," she said. "L-Leave me to my cursed existence."

The rain had stopped, and only an occasional rumble of distant thunder could still be heard. Outside, a full moon was hidden behind thick black clouds, and beneath it, the lights of the city shone in the darkness.

"There's still a few hours left until the sun rises," Koume said. "Let's go out."

"Out...? Into the unknown mysteries of the night?"

"Just trust me. I have an idea."


	2. Chapter 2

It was about three in the morning. The streets were still glistening wet from the rain that had fallen earlier. Most of the buildings were dark, aside from the occasional glowing sign for a 24-hour convenience store. Ranko clutched her oversized handbag close to her as she trailed behind Koume, who was staring down at a map on her smartphone.

"We'll be fine. You shouldn't be the one who's scared to be out at night," Koume said, with a nervous smile. "Anyways, you need blood, don't you?"

Ranko cringed at the word 'blood.' She nodded slowly. "M-My dark temptations are powerful, b-but I must resist the urge to... attack the... the living."

"Just be glad you're not a zombie who has to eat brains. Those would be a lot harder to find," Koume said. She turned a corner, still looking down at her phone. "But I think we can manage some blood. There's a little hospital not too far from our dorm. They should have some blood stored away somewhere, from donors. Probably. I saw this in a movie once."

"Your knowledge of the forbidden lore is indispensible!"

Koume grinned. "Just... be careful, alright? If we get caught stealing from a hospital, our idol careers are over."

They both fell silent, and Koume wished she hadn't said that. What they were doing tonight was totally illegal. Not to mention weird. This wasn't like the fake sets of gothic castles and ancient stone tombs in that old movie they had just watched - they were out on the streets of modern-day Tokyo, and they were about to steal from a hospital. If they did get caught, what would they do?

"Th-The shadows are my domain now," Ranko said. "No mortal defenses can stand against the powers of the night! You walk with my infernal blessings upon you."

It was the kind of thing Ranko always said, and that made it feel a little bit more normal. Koume glanced down at her phone again, and saw that they would be arriving at their destination soon. She looked around to make sure no one was around.

"It's just up ahead. Let's try to act... well, human."

The hospital building was a plain, box-shaped brick structure. It was mostly dark, but a few lights were still on in the upper windows. A glass-roofed veranda led the way to the front entrance, where a set of glass doors opened into a reception area. Above them, an electric sign glowed with a symbol of a green cross.

"The Holy Chapel!" Ranko exclaimed, gazing up at it. "How will we access their hidden vaults?"

"I haven't thought that far ahead yet..." Koume said. She stared up at the structure. It was a place she frequently walked past in the daylight, but at night, it gave off a much spookier aura.

No, it wasn't the building itself that was spooky - it was the vampire she had come here with. She turned to Ranko and could see her eyes glowing crimson in the dark, like a pair of burning embers.

"Just try to find out where they store their blood donations," Koume said. "Make sure you don't get caught, but... If this doesn't work, you might not have any other choice but to... um... hunt."

Ranko stiffened. "N-No, I... I couldn't."

"Then I hope this works."

Koume and Ranko approached the front doors together. They kept themselves in the shadows, not yet ready to step into the light pouring out of the large glass windows.

Inside the hospital lobby they could see a brightly lit and rather ordinary waiting area. There were a few potted plants among the empty chairs. At this hour of the night there was no one around except for a young woman sitting at the reception desk, reading a magazine.

With a deep breath, Koume looked back at Ranko and nodded. She had the same fluttery feeling in her stomach as if she were about to step out on stage - in a way, this _was_ a sort of performance, one that she didn't know any of the lyrics or dance moves to. She tried to act as casual as possible as she stepped out of the shadow and up to the pair of automatic doors, which opened for her.

Behind her, Ranko crept up to the doors and approached them cautiously with one hand outstretched. The doors slid open for her, but she stopped suddenly, just as her hand passed in between. She reached out her other hand, pressing on the empty air as if something blocked her way. "The barrier... It's too strong!"

"Come on, we'd better hurry - " Koume started to say, then saw the strained look on Ranko's face. This wasn't an act. "What barrier?" She studied the space around the doorway as if she'd be able to see something, but of course there was nothing there.

"Th-The power of the Holy Chapel denies my entrance..." Ranko said in a trembling whisper. "The forces of the light do not accept my dark aura."

The receptionist looked up from her magazine and saw them standing by the doors. "Oh. Excuse me. Can I help you?"

Koume whirled around in a panic. "N-no, it's fine, s-she's just, uh... nervous about hospitals."

"What's wrong? It's so late. Is it an emergency?" She stared at Ranko, who still stood motionless at the hospital doors, both arms outstretched, her eyes clenched shut as she struggled against something invisible. "If you need a doctor, please come in and I can help you."

Immediately Ranko tumbled forward through the doors, catching herself just before she toppled over completely. She stood up, steadied herself, and turned back to inpect the doors. "Um..."

Koume cut in. "It's not an emergency or anything, we were just... uh..."

She tried to think of an explanation. Her eyes scanned the walls, plastered with medical information and public service announcements, and landed on one poster in particular. It featured an illustration of some characters from a popular anime, encouraging people to donate blood.

"That!" She pointed at it.

The receptionist turned around, trying to follow the line from Koume's finger. "You're... interested in the blood drive?"

"Yeah! Uh, well, I wasn't sure if I really wanted to do it yet, so I guess I was just curious about... you know, the procedures, and stuff." Koume was sweating. She was terrible at talking to strangers even under the most normal of circumstances. "My friend and I were - "

She looked over her shoulder towards Ranko, but no one was there.

"Your friend?" The receptionist blinked at her. "Wasn't she just here? Is she alright?"

Over the woman's shoulder, Koume suddenly caught a glimpse of Ranko at the far end of the lobby, silently creeping towards a set of double doors that led deeper into the hospital. There was no way she could have gotten over there without being seen. Somehow she must have teleported or evaporated into mist or something. Just like the vampire count in that movie they had watched. She was learning fast.

"She, uh... must have gone home. Hospitals make her nervous," Koume said, silently praying that the receptionist wouldn't turn around.

"You're both out rather late."

"Y-Yeah, we, uh... We work the late shift at a convenience store. But, you know, I'm just really interested in helping out with, uh... donating blood."

Out of the corner of her eye, Koume watched Ranko as she opened the doors and vanished inside, as silent as a shadow. She let out a sigh of relief.

"I could provide you with some information and an application to become a donor," the receptionist said. "You would have to come back during the day, though. Unfortunately we don't hold any blood drives in the middle of the night."

"Yeah... Sounds great."

Returning to her desk, the receptionist pulled out a sheet of paper and handed it across to Koume. "Did you have any other questions?"

"Well, um..." Koume skimmed the form for a moment. "I was just wondering... like, when you take all this blood... where do you _put_ it?"

* * *

Ranko was still feeling woozy from her sprint across the lobby as she pushed open the door and slipped inside. She found herself in a long, empty hallway. Behind her, the door slammed shut, and she jumped at the sound, which seemed to echo through the tomb-like stillness of this place...

No, that wasn't quite right. It was much less creepy than she had been expecting. The hospital corridor was spotless and brightly lit with steady electric light, even at this hour of the night. It was just a regular modern hospital, not some abandoned laboratory or asylum out of one of Koume's horror movies. There were no shadows for anything scary to hide in.

That was bad, wasn't it? Because _she_ was supposed to be the scary thing hiding in the shadows.

Nothing much had changed, had it? As much as she wanted to be a powerful and fearsome mistress of darkness, inside she was still just Ranko Kanzaki, an ordinary girl who froze up when she had to talk to strangers and couldn't do anything on her own.

When that woman in the lobby had talked to her, she had just panicked and, without even thinking, sprinted across the room as soon as her back was turned. She'd been surprised by her speed - it had almost seemed like everything around her had slowed down, and she found herself at the far end of the room before she had even realized it. Her body had felt strangely light.

_Everything_ had been strange since she had awoken with this curse. She was lucky to have a friend like Koume who knew all about things like this. But now, Koume was back there in the lobby, and she was in this strange place all by herself with no idea what she was doing...

Ranko slapped herself lightly on the face, trying to psych herself up. There was no time to overthink things. She had to focus on the task at hand. She stood up straight, tried to adopt a more regal bearing. If she could just act the part of an elegant, powerful vampire countess, maybe she could become one.

She scanned the signs on the corridor walls, not exactly certain what she should be looking for. Would there be a room on the map somewhere labelled "Blood Storage"?

The mere thought made her feel a lump in her throat. She'd never been able to stand the sight of blood. Even watching that vampire movie with Koume earlier had made her feel a little queasy, especially when she imagined putting her _own_ mouth on someone else's neck. And yet, she still felt that thirst... Deep inside, she _knew_ what she needed, but the idea of drinking human blood was awful.

She recomposed herself, and continued down the hallway.

_Don't be afraid. The mortals are the ones who should fear me,_ Ranko told herself. _I am an all-powerful vampire countess and the night is my domain. There is nothing any mere human can do to stand in my way..._

"Excuse me, miss, can I help you?"

She heard a man's voice behind her, and nearly screamed. Ranko whirled around and saw a young doctor standing there, pushing his glasses up on his nose as he looked down at her.

"I-I was... I mean, I wasn't here to..." Ranko stammered. She took a step backwards. "I'm not..."

"Visitation hours are only during the day. You don't seem to be a patient, so I will have to escort you to the front of the building," the doctor said. "Just come along with me..."

"N-No!" she said, shaking her head furiously. "I c-can't leave... I n-need..."

"Are you sick?" The doctor suddenly seemed concerned. "Did you come here on your own? Oh, you're terribly pale..."

"I..." She couldn't find the words. There was nothing she could say. This whole situation was ridiculous, she shouldn't even be here, she was just a regular girl trying to become an idol...

But she was also a vampire, and her thirst was unbearable.

Almost instinctively, Ranko planted her feet, and raised her left hand over her face, in a pose she had taken countless times before. She raised her right hand towards the doctor in a beckoning gesture. She stared at him with one eye through her fingers, trying to feel her power flow out towards him, trying to bore down into his very soul.

_"I call upon the powers of darkness to bind you to my will!"_ she commanded. _"You shall lead me to that which I seek! Show me the path to the life-giving stores of blood you have hidden within this Holy Chapel of Light!"_

The doctor stared at her. He was quiet for a long time, his mouth hanging open. Then he shook himself, and pushed his glasses back into place. "Oh. My apologies. Right this way."

He turned around and began to walk down the hallway. Ranko stood frozen in place for a moment, not breaking her pose. Her heart probably would have been pounding, if it had still been beating at all.

"I can show you to our blood bank. Right this way," he repeated, his voice dull, expressionless.

She ran up from behind to get in front of him, and craned her neck to get a better look at his face. His expression was blank, his eyes glazed over.

Hypnotized.

By her dark magic.

Ranko smiled, and stifled a giggle. Everything was going to be just fine.

* * *

The lock screen on Koume's phone told her it was now almost four in the morning.

She sat alone in the empty hospital lobby, staring down at the blood donor application she had been given. The text blurred in front of her, and she blinked, straining to keep her eyes open. She'd been awake for way too long.

The woman at the reception desk peeked over the top of her magazine at her. "If you'd prefer to take that home with you, you could bring it back another day," she said.

Koume shook her head. "N-no, I was just... uh... I'm almost done."

Tonight had started off feeling like a real-life horror movie, but now that things had slowed down, it was pretty boring. She was sitting alone in a waiting room, going over mind-numbing paperwork, wondering if Ranko had just gotten lost or if she'd been captured.

What would a hospital _do_ if they caught a vampire trespassing? Surely they didn't have procedures for that...

A hand suddenly gripped her shoulder. Even through the fabric of her hoodie, the fingers were freezing cold.

Koume looked up and saw Ranko standing next to her, like she'd appeared out of thin air. Maybe she had.

"W-Whoa, how did you..."

"Our business is concluded here," Ranko said, grinning and flashing her fangs. "Come! Let us be away."

"Did you, uh, find what we came for?" Koume asked. "A-And how are you moving so fast?"

Ranko said nothing as she strode across the room towards the front desk and waved her hand in front of the receptionist's eyes. _"Let your memories of tonight fade to oblivion,"_ she said. _"With the coming of the morning sun, all this shall be as a dream."_

The woman's face suddenly went blank, and she slumped down over the desk, facedown on top of her magazine.

"Wh-What did you do to her?" Koume said, slowly creeping up behind Ranko to see what was going on.

Ranko grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the exit. She swept out one arm in a grand gesture towards the front doors. "Our mission is over! Quickly, we must depart! Away into the night!"

Koume shot another glance back at the delirious receptionist, then felt Ranko pull her away with what could safely be called inhuman strength. The two of them made a break for the exit, bursting out the front doors and racing off into the dark streets beyond.

After they had made some distance and were safely out of sight, Koume pulled her arm out of Ranko's vicelike grip. "Hang on! Slow down."

They turned a corner and ducked into an empty, narrow alleyway, faintly illuminated by the glow of a vending machine. Koume stopped and propped an arm up against the side of a wall, trying to catch her breath. She glanced around to make sure they were alone, then sank down onto a bench.

She looked up at Ranko. "Did you... get what we were after?"

Ranko reached down to her handbag and held it open to show Koume the contents. It was stuffed with about a dozen plastic pouches, all full of a dark liquid that looked black in the dim light. "The forbidden fruit, plundered from the Garden."

"Whoa. You actually did it," Koume said.

Ranko took a seat on the bench next to her. "It was a most perilous quest. My dark powers are all but expended."

"Yeah, I'm pretty exhausted too..." Koume yawned. "Um, so what kind of 'dark powers' are you talking about?"

Ranko said nothing. Then, she started to laugh - a nervous giggle, very quiet at first, before she erupted into a loud, high-pitched shriek of maniacal laughter. It caught Koume off guard - but then, she smiled too. This was normal - for Ranko, at least. She seemed like her old self.

"I owe tonight's triumph to you, my loyal servant," Ranko said, grinning wildly, her red eyes flashing in the dark. "Your service must be rewarded!"

Koume stared at her as Ranko sprang to her feet, spun around in a quick motion, then walked to the vending machine. She put a few coins into the slot, then returned with a bottle of red fruit-flavored soda. With a flourish, she held it out towards Koume.

"Oh... Thanks," Koume said. She took it in both hands and held it in her lap, staring dumbly at it, not sure what to do yet.

Ranko sat down again and reached deep into her handbag, digging down beneath all the plastic pouches. At last she produced a crystal chalice, and held it up to sparkle in the light of a street lamp.

"A vessel suitable for the queen of Hell," she said, admiring it for a moment.

Koume stared at it with her. It probably wasn't actual crystal - maybe glass or something. Ranko collected all sorts of props like that.

Ranko looked back into her handbag and slowly removed one of the blood bags. A label stuck to the shiny plastic was printed with the blood type and the date of when it must have been donated. The bag was crinkled and limp in her hand, and the liquid inside was so dark, so much blacker than the fake stage blood Koume was familiar with. Suddenly what they were doing felt all too real.

"Will you bear witness to the unholy sacrament?" Ranko said quietly.

Koume's words were caught in her throat, but she managed to nod weakly.

Ranko first tried tearing open the bag with her fingers, but the surface was too slick and she couldn't get a grip on it. Then, with a grimace, she put the corner of it into her mouth, and bit down, leaving two large holes. Carefully, she turned it over into the chalice, letting the dark liquid fill the cup nearly to the brim. She stared down into it for a long time.

"Uh..." Koume looked down at her bottle of soda, and raised it half-heartedly towards Ranko. "Cheers, I guess."

Ranko blinked at her, then raised her glass as well, smiling. "A toast to our covenant!"

Koume cracked the seal on her soda, but she couldn't bring herself to take the first sip. She kept her eyes locked on Ranko, wondering if she was really about to go through with this.

Ranko held up her glass, and swirled the dark liquid around as if it were wine. Actually, once it was in a glass, it wasn't hard to imagine it _was_ just red wine... Not that either of them were old enough to drink. She squeezed her eyes shut and lifted it to her lips with a trembling hand. She tilted it slowly, excruciatingly slowly, and took a tiny sip.

She paused, holding it in her mouth, tasting it. Then, finally, she swallowed. "It's... delicious."

"I'll take your word for it," Koume said quietly.

Taking the glass in both hands, Ranko took a deep drink from it, raising the bottom end up until she had drained it all. She lowered the empty chalice and stared into it without a word. The inside was still stained red, a few drops of blood still clinging to the sides. For a moment she was entirely motionless, not breathing, not blinking - then she shuddered.

"The power... It's invigorating," she said, sitting straight up and raising her glass to the street lamp. "It's unlike anything else..."

Sitting there in the dark, in her ornately detailed black dress, holding aloft the stained red chalice, Ranko suddenly looked like the very image of a vampire countess. Koume couldn't help but stare at her. She looked like she came from a totally different world.

A car drove past, briefly lighting up the alleyway with its headlights, splashing through the puddles of rainwater on the road. Koume instinctively recoiled, but of course no one was paying any mind to them.

"Hey, Ranko... Where were you when you got bitten?" Koume asked suddenly. "I mean, if there's other vampires out here in the city... I wonder where they go to... you know, feed."

Ranko cringed at the mention of 'feeding'. "I... I don't... Perhaps they used their powers against me. Everything is such a haze. I... I can't recall where I was."

"Do you remember anything?"

Ranko looked around at the empty street. "I remember... I only remember there was a voice. Someone called my name in the night. And then..." She placed a hand on her forehead, scrunching up her face. "We should return. It is not safe for a mortal to be out at night."

Koume checked the time on her phone. "It's not safe for _you_ to be out so close to sunrise."

Ranko wiped off her glass with a handkerchief. The cloth came away stained with red. She frowned at it, then wrapped up the chalice and tucked it back into her handbag.

"Must I hide myself away from the morning sun? And from the mortal world? From everyone? For... all eternity?" she said. She gazed up at the sky, but from where they stood in between the walls of two tall buildings, there wasn't much to see.

"Are you the type of vampire who will just get singed a little bit if you go out in the sun, or are you going to burst into flames right away?" Koume asked. She saw the horrified expression on Ranko's face and quickly added, "I guess we don't need to find out."

"C-Come quickly! I must return to my chambers..." Ranko started to walk towards the street, glanced both ways, then froze. She turned back to Koume. "Um... Y-You know the way, right?"

Koume pulled her phone out from her pocket and opened the map. She smiled and shook her head. "You're totally hopeless as the Queen of Darkness..."


	3. Chapter 3

It was early morning when the Producer came to the gate of the 346 Productions building, at the usual hour when he could be sure to arrive well before any of the idols. The sun had barely risen over the horizon yet, and the streets were nearly deserted. Only a few other commuters were milling about, waiting at the bus stop or walking along to their own offices. But as he approached the front door, he suddenly noticed a figure approaching behind him, following him, gliding along almost noiselessly.

The figure appeared to be nothing more than a solid shadow formed out of pure darkness - but he quickly realized that it was because she was dressed all in black, without a single speck of color. She wore a long black dress, a wide-brimmed hat, and a dark veil that completely obscured her face. Even the hand that gripped her black parasol was covered by a dark velvet glove.

He recognized her at once.

"Kanzaki-san. Good morning," he said, with a small bow. "Are you... feeling better?"

Her outfit couldn't really be described as "gothic lolita" at this point. She looked more like a funeral mourner directly out of the Victorian era. It was excessive, even for Ranko Kanzaki.

She moved towards him, almost seeming to float over the sidewalk, the bottom of her dress trailing along the ground. "Producer," she said with a small nod. "I fear the curse is still upon me, but I have a dark destiny that must be fulfilled in this place." She tilted her head up to gaze at the upper levels of the building towering over them.

He stared at her, trying to see beyond the veil. It was hard to even make out her face, except for... her eyes? It almost seemed as if there were two deep red lights glowing in the shadows... No, that was absurd.

"You seem troubled by my appearance, Producer," she said, her voice calm and even. "I apologize, but I simply cannot walk in the rays of the scorching sun. It is too overbearing today, I'm afraid."

He gazed up at the sky. It was grey, slightly overcast.

"Hm. Yes," he said, nodding. "Kanzaki-san... If you need more time to recover, I would be happy to - "

She shook her head - or rather, the veil swayed from side to side, seeming to indicate a response. "Do not trouble yourself. You have nothing to fear."

"I-I'm simply concerned for your health," he said. "Have you been to a doctor?"

She drew back. "N-No, I didn't - Um... The h-hospital..." She stammered, flustered for some reason, then composed herself. "There is... no need."

Something about her behavior today was especially strange, even unsettling. Just yesterday she had sounded panicked, talking about something she called a 'curse'. Was it a physical illness? Stress? Certainly he couldn't expect to get a straight answer from her.

"Are you sure you're alright, Kanzaki-san?" he asked again.

"Producer..." Her voice, coming from somewhere beneath that veil, was barely a whisper. "I've never felt better."

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Y-Yes, well... It's good to see you back at work. Shall we go inside?" He grabbed the handle of the door and held it open for her, motioning for her to go first.

"Thank you, Producer, for your most kind invitation," she said with a small nod, before closing her parasol and quickly stepping inside.

He watched her drift past him into the lobby. She walked halfway across the room towards the elevators, then turned around and finally lifted up her veil, to reveal - 

Reveal _what_ , exactly? It was just the face of Ranko Kanzaki, smiling at him. Why had he thought, even for just a moment, that she might look like someone - or something - else?

"Oh! Kanzaki-san. One more thing," he said, following after her. "There is a, um... A new event proposal that I have received for you. It also involves Ninomiya-san and Shirasaka-san, so when they arrive, I would like all three of you to come to my office together."

She smiled - an odd, thin-lipped smile that didn't show any teeth. "I shall eagerly await your summons," she said, and continued on towards the elevator doors.

* * *

About an hour later, after he'd had his morning coffee and gone over the agenda for the day, he was in his office. The three idols were seated across the table from him, and he held the packet containing the promotional materials and contract in his hands.

Asuka Ninomiya sat silently with her arms crossed, waiting for him to speak first. She was dressed in a dark punk-style denim jacket, and she was wearing dark red hair extensions today. They fell down her back in a scarlet cascade.

Koume Shirasaka was next to her, bundled up in an oversized black hoodie. She let out a yawn. The dark circles under her eyes seemed more pronounced than usual - another late night watching scary movies, he assumed. Those sleep habits weren't healthy, especially not with the busy life of an idol. He made a mental note to talk to her about that later.

And Ranko Kanzaki - still in her long black dress and velvet gloves, but she'd removed her hat and veil, at least. Was it his imagination, or was she noticeably more pale than usual? Maybe it was just the contrast with all the black she was wearing, or perhaps she was trying something new with her makeup. She sat up perfectly straight and motionless. She seemed to be fully awake and attentive, even if her pallor was sickly.

"I wanted to have all three of you present to make this announcement," the Producer began. He looked at Ranko. "I was going to share this with you all yesterday, but since Kanzaki-san was absent, I thought it would be best to wait for her."

She laughed softly, covering her mouth with one gloved hand. "I would cross oceans of time to be with you again, Producer."

"Yes. Right..." He looked down at the packet in his hand. He'd expected to have a few days to prepare this, but perhaps it would be best to just dive right in. "I'm happy to say it's quite a high-profile opportunity. I've booked a performance for the three of you in Osaka, during a major theme park's Halloween celebration... The name of the event is Transylvania Terror Nights."

He placed the brochure on the table, and with one hand slid it across towards them. Immediately Koume's jaw dropped, and she nearly pounced on the table to snatch it up.

"We'll be performing... during Terror Nights?" she squeaked, her eyes glued to the page. "I've always wanted to go!"

"I think I've heard of that before," Asuka said. "It's a pretty popular event, right? There'll probably be a huge crowd..."

Koume could barely contain herself as she pored over the brochure. "Whoa, there's so many new haunted houses this year... We'll have time to visit them, right? I can't go all the way to Osaka and _not_ go in the haunted houses..."

Ranko picked up one of the brochures and studied it for a moment. Her eyes widened, and she turned over the page, staring intently at the photos. She wasn't screaming yet. It was a better reaction than the Producer had expected - he had been certain she would throw it across the room as soon as she saw all those blood splatters.

He cleared his throat. "The event is horror-themed, of course, but for your performance, I thought that we would go with a more classical, refined sort of image. Something that would fit well with your personality, especially, Kanzaki-san."

She looked up at him, placing the brochure back on the desk. "M-Me?"

"Yes," he said. He spoke slowly, studying her reaction. "Now, I don't think your performance has to be 'scary,' per se, but seeing as this is a Halloween event, I was thinking that a vampire theme might suit you well..."

Ranko drew back and covered her mouth with her hands. "V-Vampire...?"

"Nothing too monstrous or bloody, of course," he said quickly, waving his hand in a dismissive gesture. "But I was thinking that, for the stage decor and your costumes, that sort of theme would - "

"Y-Yeah, I think that would be great," Koume cut in. "You could definitely play that... _role..._ onstage, couldn't you, Ranko?"

Ranko looked at both of them, then gave a strange sort of laugh. "Of course, Producer! You know me so well..." she said. "The world shall know my true form as they are entranced by my aria under the light of the moon!"

He felt a wave of relief pass over him, and smiled at her. "I'm glad you agree."

"Um... We will be performing under the moonlight? In the shadows?" she said suddenly.

"Hm? Yes... The event begins at sundown, and your concert would be held shortly after... Yes, I suppose it will be nighttime by the time you are on stage," he said. "That won't be a problem, I hope?"

"I suppose you couldn't have a vampire show in the daylight, could you?" Asuka said.

"Precisely!" Ranko said. She erupted into her shrill, maniacal laugh, like a villainess in some anime, turning away and covering her mouth with her dark-gloved hand. "That will be ideal."

"Y-Yes... I am glad to hear you are so enthusiastic." He flipped to the next page of the contract. "In addition to the concert, they wanted to take some photos around the park for promotional purposes... Inside the attractions, that sort of thing." He glanced up briefly at Ranko to see her reaction, but she was seated calmly, smiling at him. 

"We get to do a photoshoot... _inside_ the haunted houses?" Koume said, her voice cracking with excitement. "I don't believe this! It's going to be the best show ever!"

"I will contact the agency representing the theme park and let them know of your agreement," the Producer said. He gathered all the papers on the desk together and slid them back into the folder. "In the meantime, we will be going into the practice studio to go over the music and basic choreography..."

Ranko's eyes widened, and suddenly she sprang to her feet. "N-No! Th-That place... it's forbidden! I cannot enter!" She shook her head vigorously, her twin ponytails flying back and forth.

Asuka stared at her. "Huh? What's gotten into you?"

"It is..." Ranko paused, searching for the words. "Th-The looking glass... Shall seal my soul away, if ever I am to gaze into its depths."

"The... mirror?" The Producer blinked. This was something new. He couldn't recall Ranko ever having an aversion to the practice studio, with its floor-to-ceiling mirror on one wall. Or any type of mirror, for that matter. "The mirror in the studio is simply to help you observe your own performance during rehearsal. Is there a problem?"

"I... I can't go in there. Never again." She sank back down into her chair, staring at the floor, and was silent.

Koume suddenly chimed in. "Is there some other place we could practice? I mean, if Ranko doesn't want to use the studio, I'd be fine with going somewhere else too..."

The Producer thought for a moment. It had been a stroke of good luck getting Ranko to agree to take part in the show at all. He supposed it would be fine to agree to a little request like that, however strange. Especially if the other idols weren't opposed.

"A practice area without a mirror... I will see what I can do."

Asuka let out a sigh, and shrugged. "Well, I guess that's decided. It probably won't make a big difference where we go. I'm fine with it if they are."

"Very well," the Producer said. "I will contact the organizers of the event and let them know of your agreement. In the meantime, we will begin practice at once. The event is coming up soon, but I'm sure you will all do your best."

* * *

After getting changed into some lighter clothes for dance practice, Koume found Ranko in the lounge. She had already changed out of her ridiculous Victorian getup and wore a light T-shirt and black track pants. She stood by the back wall, away from the large windows overlooking the city. The sun was high in the sky, and light shone off the glass of the high-rise office buildings around them.

"I was kind of surprised you came in today..." Koume said. "How are you doing with... you know, the sun?" She nodded towards the windows.

"I must remain in the shadows. As long as the accursed light does not touch my skin, I shall be fine," Ranko said, eyeing the pool of sunlight on the floor as if it might suddenly rear up and attack her.

"So you're not going to tell the Producer about your... uh, curse?" Koume said, drawing closer and lowering her voice.

Ranko looked away. "The P-Producer... must never know," she said. "I-It's too dangerous to let mortals know the truth. Aside from you, the Keeper of Forbidden Lore and my trusted companion on my moonlit raid on the Holy Chapel, I have not judged anyone else to be worthy..."

"That trip to the hospital might be hard to explain, yeah."

"I have secreted away the life-giving essence in my chambers," Ranko said. "I dare not let any mortals witness my unholy sacrament, the true nature of the curse that has corrupted my very soul. To drink blood is - "

"You're drinking blood now?" Asuka said.

Koume and Ranko both spun around at once. Neither of them had noticed Asuka enter the room. She walked over and took a seat on one of the faux-leather chairs.

"I-I didn't say..." Ranko stammered. "P-Please forget you heard anything!"

Asuka gave an amused grin. "You're really into this whole 'vampire' thing, aren't you? I guess it really does fit you."

"Yeah, that's... th-the theme for the show," Koume said. "She was just trying to get into character."

"Hmm... Trying to think like a vampire," Asuka said. "So what do you think it's like?"

"The inner thoughts of the undead are beyond mortal comprehension," Ranko said. "You could never hope to understand."

"Yeah, it's pretty hard. Especially since they don't exist." Asuka shrugged. "But it's a cool theme for a show. I guess I see them as lonely and tragic figures... Having to live for hundeds of years, never aging, leaving their loved ones behind..."

Ranko's face twitched. "Mortals can never know eternity... It is our curse to bear, and ours alone..."

"Kind of a downer, huh? They probably don't want us bringing that to an idol performance," Asuka said. "Anyways, the Producer found a storage room downstairs. It should work for practice if they get some space cleared out. Should we head down and check it out?"

* * *

The substitute practice room felt cramped and dark - not unlike a vampire's tomb, Asuka thought with some amusement. But once they had moved some shelves up against the wall and stacked some boxes out of the way, there was enough floor space to suit their needs.

Dance rehearsal without a mirror was more difficult than Asuka had expected, and she found herself constantly turning her head to watch her companions, trying to keep the rhythm with them. Ranko took the center position, with the others flanking on either side. Asuka went through most of the session keeping one eye on Ranko, watching her moves and trying to match time.

It was their first day working on this particular routine, but Ranko's dancing seemed somehow... effortless. Her movements were graceful, fluid, surprisingly quick.

But it wasn't until they had gone through the routine a third time that Asuka could really put her finger on what was so odd.

At the end of the dance, the three of them would strike a pose, with Ranko in the center reaching out one hand beckoning towards the audience, and they would hold that for a few moments for applause and photo ops. Usually Asuka was nearly out of breath by this point, and she would look over and see Koume trying to hold her pose without collapsing as well.

But Ranko stood in the center totally motionless, like a statue. No heavy breathing, no sweat.

They ran through the number a few more times, and Asuka was starting to get winded. But Ranko didn't show any signs of slowing down, no matter how many times they repeated the act. And every time she would hold that final pose as perfectly still as a statue.

"Hey, you guys feel like taking a break? Maybe grab some lunch?" Asuka said after they finished.

Koume wiped the sweat from her brow and nodded. "Yeah, I could definitely use a breather."

Ranko stared at them, then nodded. "Forgive me, I seem to have been entranced by our divine harmony. When we dance, I can feel my soul burning bright through the shadows." She closed her eyes, placing a hand over her heart.

"You're not tired at all?" Asuka said, raising an eyebrow. "What's your secret? You barely even broke a sweat after all that."

Ranko struck one of her ridiculous poses, covering her face with one hand and staring at Asuka through her fingers. "It is my dark power that gives me strength beyond the comprehension of mere mortals!"

"Unbelievable. You've gotta have some kind of... special training, or fitness regimen, or... something," Asuka said. "Come on, share your secret with the rest of us."

"S-Secret?" Ranko said. "There's nothing... It is not for mortals to know!" She erupted into her trademark stereotypical evil laughter, and with a grand gesture she turned and walked away out the door.

Asuka folded her arms and watched her as she disappeared around the corner and out of sight. "I really don't understand her sometimes... She's different than usual, right?"

"Ranko's always been a little strange, yeah," Koume said, her eyes darting away.

"It's not like that." Asuka shook her head. "I've worked with her a few times before, and I never felt she was on such a different level. Something's definitely changed. I mean, did you see her during practice? It's like she's not even human."

Koume blinked. "N-Not human? Why would you say that?"

"You know what I mean," Asuka said with a shrug. "It's just... I guess she's just got that natural talent, or whatever. All this idol stuff comes naturally to her."

"She's been doing this for a while now. I guess it just comes with practice, you know?" Koume said. "Nothing strange about that."

"Yeah, I just wish I could understand..." Asuka's voice trailed off as she stepped out into the hallway. Ranko was nowhere to be seen, as if she had vanished into thin air.


	4. Chapter 4

Ranko Kanzaki awakened from her deathlike slumber, after sleeping through several alarms. She yawned and stretched her arms out wide - and promptly drew back her hand with a yelp of pain as it touched a thin sliver of sunlight peeking in through the curtains.

She flailed about in her sheets, trying to bury herself away from the accursed light. The pain was searing and intense. She pulled the covers up over her head and finally took the time to examine her injury.

Where the sunlight had touched the deathly pale skin of her hand, there was a black patch of charred flesh, cracked and smoking. She could smell a sick stench like burning meat, and hoped no one else in her dorm building could. She tried to flex her fingers and winced.

It was painful - few things actually caused her physical pain anymore, but this really hurt.

Wriggling her way out of the layers of sheets and the heavy blanket, she managed to crawl out of bed and make her way over to the closet, still gingerly clutching at her burned hand. Maybe she would just wear her gloves all day today, and no one would notice that horrible blackened scar. 

With her one good hand, she reached into the closet, way in the back, underneath the frills and ruffles of all her gothic dresses, until she found the small plastic cooler Koume had brought her. She pulled it out and opened the lid. A couple of packets of blood were still left inside from that first nighttime raid.

Ranko frowned, thinking about the effort it would take to go back to the hospital and get more. She'd definitely have to ask Koume to go along again. It felt bad, asking a human to help her with her dark bidding - especially since what they were doing was also illegal - but even with all her powers, it was scary to go out at night alone.

She rummaged through the cooler and finally selected a pouch that was labelled Type A, which she had decided was her favorite. Once the horror of drinking human blood had worn off, her tastes had developed to the point where she actually had a preference for flavor.

She found her crystal chalice on the dresser, and bit into the plastic bag to let the blood pour out. In the mirror, she could see the bag hovering in midair, floating above the cup as it turned over and drained its contents into it. Staring at the empty space in the mirror, she found herself wondering what her hair looked like right now - styling it had gotten so difficult now that she couldn't see her reflection.

But first, the most important thing - her unholy sacrament. She could usually get away with only drinking one packet of blood a day, but she _had_ to drink - until she did, her thirst would always be clawing at her, making it impossible to think of anything else, and she would start to feel horribly exhausted. No matter how much sleep she got, without blood, she just wouldn't have any energy.

She lifted the chalice to her lips, gripping it in both hands, and tasted the blood. Immediately she started to feel that now-familiar rush of strength. It was the only thing that could make her feel like that, and it gave her a sensation she had never really felt even when she was mortal - the only thing she could compare it to, perhaps, was the rush of adrenaline when she heard the applause after an especially great live concert.

But today there was something else. As soon as Ranko had taken that first sip, she felt the burning pain in her hand immediately fade away. She lifted her hand to inspect it, and found the scar had disappeared. Her skin was perfectly smooth, pale white, no trace of any injury remaining. She moved the fingers, and they were fine.

She stared at it in disbelief. Just moments ago she had feared she might be permanently disfigured, but now the pain and the mark were both gone.

Just another one of her vampiric powers she didn't know she had. Maybe she'd ask Koume about it.

Ranko drained the goblet of blood, then tied up her hair ribbons to the best of her ability and got fully dressed, making sure her velvet gloves and heavy veil wouldn't allow a single ray of sunlight to touch her skin. And with that, she left the dorm, making the harrowing journey through the daylight to the office.

* * *

She reached 346 Productions while it was still early morning. She took the elevator up and sat in the lounge alone, waiting for the others to arrive. In the time it had taken her to walk from the dorm to the office building, she had already grown thirsty again. But of course she hadn't brought any blood along - performing the unholy sacrament at work was unthinkable. And her supply was getting low. She couldn't afford to waste a drop, not until she had returned to the hospital to replenish her stores.

Ranko tried to ignore her thirst as she sat there, watching the city in the early morning sunlight. The sunlight didn't yet reach this far end of the lounge, but Ranko kept her hat and veil on, covering her face against the harmful rays, still distrustful of them. That accursed sunlight had caused her such pain when she awoke this morning. It was difficult to even look at it from here in the shadows. Out there in the city, in the daylight, humans were going about their normal lives - running to catch a train or walking to school together with their friends, enjoying that morning sunlight - and a part of her envied them.

"Good morning, Ranko."

She turned at the sound of the voice. It was Koume. She set her bag down before coming over to join Ranko on the sofa.

"My most trusted companion! It is always good to see you," Ranko said, lifting her veil to see Koume better.

Koume suddenly backed away, her eyes wide. "W-Whoa..."

Ranko frowned. "Is something wrong?"

"Y-Your eyes... Whoa, that really... doesn't look good," Koume said. She leaned forward, still a bit hesitant, trying to get a better look at Ranko's face. "Have you even... No, of course you couldn't look in the mirror..."

Ranko put up a hand to touch her own cheek, wondering what it was that made Koume seem so afraid. What was wrong with her eyes? She hated to see her friend get scared like that. She hated to think that her appearance might be somehow _inhuman._

"What happened to you?" Koume said. "Do you still have enough... you-know-what stored away? It's been a while since we went to the hospital."

"N-Nonsense!" Ranko said, forcing a weak smile. "I took the dark sacrament merely an hour ago... The power still courses through me!"

"I don't know... Maybe it wasn't fresh enough, or maybe you just need to drink more to keep yourself going..." Koume said. "I-I've seen this in movies before. I think you might be having... withdrawal."

Ranko turned her face away. She was painfully aware of her thirst, but what could she do?

"Listen, Ranko, you can't let anyone see you like... _that_ ," Koume said. "It's bad. I mean _really_ bad. If the Producer saw you, he'd... I mean, I can't imagine what he'd do, to be honest."

"The P-Producer..." Ranko stammered. "W-What am I supposed to do?"

Koume glanced around, making sure they were completely alone in the lounge. Then she pulled up one of the oversized sleeves of her hoodie, exposing her bare wrist. For some reason, Ranko found she could not take her eyes off it. 

"Here," Koume said, extending her arm towards her. "Y-You need blood, so... if you take just a little bit, you should be fine."

Without even thinking, Ranko suddenly lunged forward, grabbing Koume's arm with both hands, her eyes locked onto the faint outline of a vein, sensing the faint pumping of blood just below the surface of the skin. Koume pulled herself free and stumbled backwards.

"Uh... Sorry," she mumbled. "It's a little scary... when you move like that. Almost like you just turned into mist..."

Mist? Ranko hadn't even realized she'd used any of her power just then. It was too easy to lose control. And if someone besides Koume had been around to see it... She mustered all her willpower to stand up and take a step away from Koume.

"You're afraid of me," she said.

"I-I didn't mean it like that," Koume said, shaking her head. "You just kind of surprised me, that's all."

Ranko shook her head. "I shouldn't do this."

Koume moved towards her. "Listen, it's fine. I think you're just deprived of blood right now. If you don't do something about it soon, then, well..."

"Drinking from a mortal... From _you_..." Ranko stared at Koume. She felt far too aware that what she was craving was coursing through Koume's veins. It was like she could smell it. Right there, free for the taking. "This is a forbidden path. One I will not be able to turn back from."

"I really don't mind," Koume said, not meeting Ranko's gaze. "It's, like... just a part of being a vampire's familiar. Like in the movies. That's kind of cool, isn't it?"

Ranko looked Koume in the eye, and could tell that she was nervous. It was hard to tell which one of them was _more_ nervous, to be honest. It was taking all of Ranko's willpower to hold herself back, but there was no other option.

Ranko gently placed her hands on Koume's arm, and felt her shudder briefly.

"Your hands are... really cold," Koume muttered.

Ranko looked down at the bare skin of Koume's arm, finding the vein on her wrist. It almost seemed to glow as she looked at it. She could feel Koume's pulse beating, the rhythm quickening, but she couldn't bring herself to actually do it. To bite her. The thought of hurting Koume - of drawing blood, of accidentally drawing _too much_ blood - was running through her mind. Her thirst was so overwhelming she wasn't sure if she'd be able to stop once she got started.

"Come on," Koume said. She glanced over her shoulder at the door. "We'd better do this before anyone else gets here and sees you. Don't worry about me."

Ranko swallowed a lump in her throat, and nodded weakly. She gripped Koume's arm tightly with both hands, and focused on that faint outline of the vein. Her teeth sank into the flesh, and she felt them puncture the skin. And then immediately tasted the fresh blood pouring out.

It was nothing like the refrigerated plastic bags of donated blood she had taken from the hospital. It was warm, moving, and it tasted like _life_. It tasted like _being alive_. For a moment, Ranko could remember sensations from her mortal life that she hadn't even known she had forgotten. She couldn't believe she had deprived herself of these things for so long. She felt powerful.

Koume began to tug her arm away, and Ranko realized she'd completely lost herself in those strange feelings.

She pulled herself away, taking several steps back until her back was to the wall. "I'm sorry!"

Koume clutched at her wrist, covering up the holes where she had been bitten. A trail of blood dripped down from between her fingers. "N-No... It's fine. I'll be okay," she said weakly. "I'd better get a bandage on this. Are you... uh, feeling better?"

Not just better - Ranko was feeling _amazing_. Drinking packaged blood from the hospital had never truly satisfied her. Not like drinking it fresh from a warm living body. But she couldn't dare say that. Instead, she just nodded, and watched the blood dripping down Koume's wrist, fighting the urge to lick it up.

"Your eyes are a little less... scary... than before," Koume said, squinting at Ranko's face. "I think you're probably okay now."

"I - I..." Ranko struggled to keep her voice from trembling. She tried to put on her usual airs. "I thank you... for your gift, but w-we must never perform this dark communion again," she said.

"That's fine with me," Koume muttered. "We should go back to the hospital again soon. Maybe a different one this time, so they don't get suspicious. It won't be good if you get like... well, like _that_ again."

Ranko barely heard what she was saying. What she had just done horrified her, but another thought was stuck in her mind. The thought of how delicious and invigorating that fresh blood had been. She had been denying her true power for so long. This was who she was now - how long did she think she could hide it?

"I need to get away," she whispered.

"Huh?"

"I must... return to my private chambers," Ranko said. She placed a hand on her forehead, as if it could suppress the thoughts swirling inside her mind. "You are not safe... with me. I must seal myself away until... until these dark urges fade away."

She turned away and started towards the door. It was too dangerous to be in a building full of so many people right now. So many people full of blood and life. All she could do was lock herself in her dorm room until she calmed down.

"Hey, Ranko, what's going on? Are you really okay?" Koume followed after her. "I'm not mad at you for doing that. You're not really that scary-looking... not anymore..."

Ranko didn't respond. She yanked open the door to the hallway and found herself suddenly face-to-face with Asuka, standing there in the doorway.

"Ranko? Good morning," Asuka said. She stared at Ranko's face. "You've got a little something... right there." She touched her own chin to indicate, tracing something dripping down from the corner of her lip.

"Huh?" Ranko wiped a hand across her chin. It came back red, smeared with blood. _Koume's blood._ She panicked. "N-No, that's not what it - "

"We were, uh... She was doing a makeup test," Koume said. "For the concert. You know? Like, vampire blood, and stuff."

"That's pretty convincing," Asuka said with a smile. "It actually looked like it was still wet."

"Yeah, it was actually mine," Koume said. "Uh, not like that! I mean... It's my own, uh, fake blood. For horror makeup. Zombie stuff, that kind of thing. I brought it from home. I like the really realistic stuff. I thought I'd show her how to use it."

"Huh." Asuka said, squinting at Ranko again. "And are those fangs, too?"

"Fake ones!" Koume blurted out.

"Well, yeah, obviously. They look great, though," Asuka said. "Maybe you could show me after rehearsal today?"

Ranko couldn't say anything. She merely let out a squeak as she pushed her way past Asuka and sprinted into the hallway, headed for the Producer's office.

* * *

It took all of Ranko's effort to run normally though the halls and not simply vanish into a black mist or transform into a bat or climb the ceiling or any number of other things she felt like doing. She felt like she was overflowing with power. People stared at her as she ran past, but she paid them no mind. She tried as hard as she could to _not_ think about them.

The only human she needed to see right now was the Producer, and finally she arrived at his door.

The Producer was focused on his computer screen and didn't even seem to notice her as she crept into the room. He was flipping through packets of paperwork and talking to someone at the same time, using the speaker on his desk phone, craning his neck as he juggled through a dozen different files.

"Yes, rehearsal is going well and all the arrangements have been finalized," he said, turning his head towards the phone. "Thank you again for checking in, ah..."

"Shuichiro Chihara," the voice from the phone said. A man's voice, smooth and refined. It was striking even through the tinny speaker.

"Yes. Chihara-san. Apologies," the Producer said. "Again, I'd like to thank you for all your assistance in securing this event for us. You've been unusually attentive throughout the process."

"It was no trouble at all. I've had my eye on 346 Productions for some time now," the voice said. "I can truly tell you, there are no other idols in the business I would rather work with."

The Producer glanced up from his computer for a moment and finally saw Ranko standing sheepishly at the far end of the room, her back nearly pressed up against the wall next to the door. He frowned, then leaned over to the phone. "Chihara-san, I apologize, but something has come up. I will call you back."

"Of course. I look forward to finally meeting you in person once you arrive in Osaka." There was a click as the call ended.

The Producer looked up from the mess on his desktop and tried half-heartedly to tidy it up. "Kanzaki-san, was something the matter?"

"I..." She couldn't find the words. Her mouth had suddenly dried up. "The dark power... It has me in its grasp."

He reached a hand into his pocket to pull out his small black notebook, and began to flip through the pages. "Dark power? Which one are you referring to?"

She shook her head. "I cannot... I must return to my private sanctum. Immediately. I'm sorry."

"You're going home...?" the Producer said, but before he could even finish the sentence, she had slipped out of the office and was gone.

Ranko slowly closed the office door behind her. She hoped that the Producer hadn't noticed the fear that had pierced through her soul the moment she had heard that voice on the phone.

It was a voice she had heard before - a voice that she still sometimes heard whispering in her memories late at night.

The voice that had called out her name on the night she had become a vampire.


	5. Chapter 5

Ranko stood silent and perfectly motionless. Dim light filtered in through the stained glass windows all around her. She was finally here - the elegant vampire countess, dressed all in black, basking in the darkness of a gothic cathedral.

In front of her, beyond the edge of the stage, she could see the crowd waiting in the dark. Her eyes could pick up every detail, all the way back to the farthest row. Every pair of eyes watching her with anticipation.

Koume and Asuka stood on each side of her, holding their starting poses as still as they could. All of those weeks of practice had led to this moment - they were here in Osaka, at the annual opening ceremony of Transylvania Terror Nights, ringing in the Halloween season.

Behind her, a red glow began to shine, illuminating the silhouettes of the arched cathedral windows along the back of the stage. Faint notes of a pipe organ began to rise, growing in intensity.

This was how she had imagined it. People screaming, not in fear, but in excitement and awe. They admired her for her supernatural power and beauty, even if they probably didn't know it was _actually_ supernatural. For the first time, it felt right to be a vampire.

The spotlights came on, momentarily blinding her in their white glare. She squinted, wincing as she let her sensitive eyes adjust, then she smiled.

She lifted a hand towards the audience in a beckoning gesture, and as the music started, she began to sing.

* * *

As the performance ended, the Producer stood backstage waiting for Ranko to return after the final bow. The applause was thunderous, even from where he was standing. He had had his doubts, but the show had gone off without any major problems.

He remembered that Ranko had made another strange request when they arrived at the venue in Osaka - all the mirrors in the dressing room would have to be covered up before she would enter. Just like when she'd refused to use the normal practice studio because of that floor-to-ceiling mirror. It had finally occurred to him why she had said that. Weren't vampires supposed to not have reflections?

She had been more eccentric than ever the past few weeks. Maybe a different producer would have given up on an idol who acted that way, but he had been patient, and in the end Ranko's pure talent had shown through. In fact, watching her lately, she had been better than ever. Granted, her aversion to sunlight and mirrors caused some headaches for everyone else, but perhaps the vampire theme had given her some kind of special inspiration.

Ranko was never the easiest idol to manage, but if she was, then she wouldn't be Ranko.

The applause died down, and he finally saw the three stars of the show file into the backstage hallway. Ranko was in front, and she spotted him immediately. "Producer!" She ran up to him as the others returned to the dressing room.

"Kanzaki-san." He gave a small bow. "Your performance was excellent tonight. Well done."

She drew her cape around herself. "Would you expect anything less from the Queen of Darkness?" She smiled at him, a toothy grin that showed off her fake fangs. _Had those been part of the costume?_ he wondered suddenly. He didn't remember them, and besides, they wouldn't even be visible to most of the audience.

"Your dedication has been impressive," he said. "I was worried that you might not enjoy performing at a horror-themed event, but you have done very well. The organizers for this event should be pleased. They requested you by name, you know. They seemed very interested in you."

"O-Oh... But of course," she said. Her smile faltered.

"I know it has been a difficult few weeks to prepare for this, but I just wanted to let you know I'm very proud of your efforts," the Producer said. "And I hope we can continue working together on many more shows to come."

"My wish is the same, but alas, the curse is still upon me," she said sadly. "I... must retire to my chambers. Thank you, Producer, for all you've done for me."

* * *

Ranko returned to the dressing room feeling satisfied but also drained. It was her first concert since her transformation, and it took a lot of energy out of her. She may have supernatural strength and endurance now, but being an idol was still hard work.

Nothing could reinvigorate her like a cheering crowd of fans, though. Nothing, except, well...

There was an emergency pack of blood hidden in her bag. She had planned ahead, not wanting to find herself overcome by thirst in the middle of a crowded theme park, so she had hidden away several packs just in case. She glanced around, making sure she was safe and alone before she commenced the unholy sacrament.

She hunched over the dresser as she emptied the blood into her chalice, when she heard the doorknob turn.

Ranko shrieked and tried not to spill any of the precious red liquid. She needed every drop - and she also needed to not leave any bloodstains in this dressing room for anyone to discover.

"Oh. Sorry," Koume said as she closed the door behind her. "It's just me."

Ranko nodded and took a deep breath, then took a sip from her chalice. Pre-packaged blood had a dull, stale taste to her now, ever since she had tried to drink it fresh. But she swore to herself she'd never do that again, no matter what.

Koume checked the time on her phone, and let out a sigh. "It's that late already? Maybe we'll have time to visit the haunted houses tomorrow," she said. "They've got a new one this year that's based on this really cool zombie video game I played..."

"At long last, the festival of darkness is finally upon us..." Ranko said, swirling the blood in her chalice. "What mysteries await us, I wonder?"

"You actually want to go?" Koume blinked at her in surprise. "I kind of assumed you'd still be too scared..."

"It is All Hallow's Eve, when the barrier between the mortal world and my own is thinnest. A creature of the night such as myself has nothing to fear from mere imitations," Ranko said. "And... I would be honored if you would be my guide."

Koume grinned. "Yeah. We should see if Asuka wants to come, too. Wonder where she got off to..."

She glanced at the door, as if expecting Asuka might come in at that very moment, but there was no sign of her.

Ranko looked over at the dresser at the far end of the room. Asuka's purse was gone, but there was a sheet of paper sitting there. She set down her chalice and walked over to get a better look. It was a handwritten memo, the characters formed with elegant penmanship.

_Asuka Ninomiya-san,_

_After the concert, please come to the Garden at park close for a special photo shoot. This will be a solo shoot - please come alone._

_Shuichiro Chihara_

She stared at the signature at the bottom of the page. She remembered that name. She'd heard it spoken on the phone in the Producer's office, and she remembered that voice calling out her own name, as if in a dream long ago... She felt a chill just thinking about it.

"It's him," she whispered.

"Huh?" Koume said. "What was that about? Is Asuka doing some kind of promo without us?"

Ranko let the paper fall from her hands, drifting through the air to land on the dresser again. She turned around without another word and hurried past Koume towards the door.

Park close? It wasn't too far off, it was almost midnight already... There was no time to waste.

"Ranko? What's going on? Are you alright?" Koume followed after her as she left the dressing room. "Hey, slow down! Where are you going?"

* * *

Asuka approached the gates and stared up at the twisted vines wrapped around the weathered brick columns. She reached out a hand and touched one of them, running her hand along the leaves - plastic, of course. She had to admit, they looked pretty convincing in the dark.

The park had been closed for about an hour now, and the last of the guests had cleared out. The show lights were still on here, though, casting eerie blue and violet light over the deserted garden pathway. A sign hung over the entrance spelled out the name in ornate characters.  
  
The Garden of the Black Orchid.

This place was different from the other haunted houses in the theme park - it was subtle, spooky, elegant. It was an outdoor maze, and during operating hours, there would be actors dressed as Victorian-era ghosts wandering around to scare the guests. Asuka was surprised that Ranko hadn't been the one invited here. It certainly matched her aesthetic. But the note, handed to her by one of the production assistants employed by the theme park, had told her to come alone.

She paused at the entry gate, and glanced around for a camera crew or maybe some tech assistants setting up the location. There was no one here at all. The music had been shut off, but the fake fog and the show lights were still on, bathing the area in ethereal shades of blue and purple. It was eerily silent.

Hesitantly, she took a step into the entry plaza. She wondered if she had gotten the location correct - maybe she should go back and find one of the theme park's event staff members, just to double-check where she was supposed to be. It was kind of weird to wander around the deserted park by herself.

"You've arrived."

She whirled around at the man's voice. He seemed to appear out of nowhere - a tall, thin man wearing a black suit. A businessman, by the look of him. He stood at the entrance to the hedge maze, and the fog swirled around his feet.

"Is this the right place for the photoshoot? I didn't see a film crew anywhere," Asuka said. "I'm, uh... Asuka Ninomiya, with 346 Productions."

He laughed softly. "They will be here momentarily. In the meantime, I wanted to speak to you, Ninomiya-san."

"Me?" She narrowed her eyes, studying him. He didn't seem like a regular producer.

"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Shuichiro Chihara," he said. "I work in the idol business."

Asuka didn't move. "I got your note. Is this actually a photo shoot? It seems a little... you know..."

"Your performance tonight was remarkable. I knew you were the right choice," he said. "In fact, I've had my eye on the three of you for some time now. And I wanted to discuss a possible... business arrangement with you. To be honest, I suppose you could say I'm scouting you."

She took a step back. Something about him was putting her on edge. "Uh, sorry, what company did you say you represented again?"

He ignored the question. "You have natural talent, Ninomiya-san, that much is true. But natural talent can only take you so far."

"What are you talking about?"

"I can make you more graceful, more beautiful, more _perfect_ in every way imaginable," he said. "The idol industry is brutal. It chews up girls like you and spits you out a few years later. But if you come with me, that will never have to happen. I can give you fame that will last forever."

"Listen, this is starting to sound really weird - "

He glared at her, his eyes flashing in the dark. For some reason she couldn't explain, Asuka found she couldn't look away.

"Come closer, Asuka. Come to me."

The man raised his hand in a beckoning gesture, and Asuka took a step forward. When she looked into his eyes, she couldn't remember why she had been so afraid before. His gaze was forceful, commanding, but it was also welcoming and kind. He smiled, revealing perfectly white teeth. He was just an idol producer, and the least she could do was listen to his proposal...

Suddenly, there was another voice.

"At last, I've found you."

Chihara suddenly turned away to see who had spoken. As soon as he broke eye contact with Asuka, it was like some kind of spell was broken, and she could finally move again. She looked over to follow his gaze, and saw in the darkness a figure standing atop the high brick wall surrounding the garden.

"You were the voice calling to me on the winds of night," she said, and Asuka recognized Ranko's voice, putting on that usual melodramatic inflection she was so fond of. "Long have I searched for you, and at last, you are here. My master."

"Ranko Kanzaki," he said, smiling up at her. "I did not expect you would join us tonight."

Ranko, still dressed in the vampire costume from their live show, placed a hand over her face, doing that dumb pose that she probably thought made herself look mysterious. But it had a much different effect, seeing her balanced on top of a ten-foot wall in this weird blue light and fog. _How had she gotten up there?_

"Is it finally time to reveal our truth to the mortals?" she said, looking down at Asuka. Her eyes seemed to glow in the night.

"Yes, I was just about to offer Ninomiya-san a new contract," he said. "Perhaps you'd like to let her know how our arrangement has worked out for you, Kanzaki-san."

"I would be honored to," Ranko said.

And then, she took a step forward. Over the edge of the wall.

Asuka gasped, expecting to see her plummet to the ground, but then - impossibly - Ranko floated down through the air, her long black dress billowing in the wind as she slowly descended towards them.

"Asuka Ninomiya. My dear friend and companion," Ranko said, alighting on the ground gracefully right in front of her. Asuka squinted at her, trying to see the wires holding her, because surely she couldn't have really been _flying..._

Asuka stared at Ranko. Something was wrong with her. No... She was the same, but Asuka had never noticed it before. Maybe she hadn't _wanted_ to see it.

Ranko smiled at her, and she saw the glint of fangs in her mouth.

"Wh-What are you doing, Ranko?"

Ranko turned back towards the strange man, the one who claimed to be an idol producer. "Master, it has been _so_ long since I relieved my thirst... Please, would you let me welcome her to our family personally?"

He said nothing, but just smiled back at her. There was something awful about it.

Ranko turned back to Asuka and approached her slowly, her eyes burning red. Ranko's features seemed to fall into shadow as she walked towards her, but those eyes only grew brighter, more intense. They were like _his._

"Ranko? What are you doing?" Asuka said, her voice trembling. "This isn't... This is some kind of act, isn't it? You aren't really..."

Ranko placed a freezing-cold hand on Asuka's shoulder. She leaned in close, baring her fangs just over her neck.

She paused, then whispered in Asuka's ear: "Let's run."

Out of nowhere, a blinding white light shone out, capturing the man in the center of its glow. A spotlight. He screamed - actually, it was more of a hiss - and raised his arms to shield his eyes from the light.

Ranko grabbed Asuka's arm and started to pull her away, towards one of the archways that led further into the garden. Her grip was strong. 

"Asuka! We need to go!" Ranko said. 

The man was still frozen in the glare of the spotlight, blinded by it. Asuka glanced at him, then nodded and ran to keep up with Ranko as she led her deeper into the garden maze.

They rounded the corner of a vine-choked brick wall, through the fog, into the hedge maze. It was dark, but Ranko pulled Asuka along by the hand, guiding her until they finally came to another clearing. It was quiet here. There was no sign of that man anywhere.

Asuka stopped to catch her breath, and noticed Ranko didn't seem to be tired at all. She was motionless. She wasn't even breathing.

Ranko turned around. Her eyes still burned crimson in the darkness.

"Uh... Ranko... You're... a _vampire?_ " Asuka said, aware of how ridiculous it sounded as soon as the words left her mouth.

"I-I'm sorry for scaring you," Ranko said. "Th-That man... I didn't want to let him get you. I can't let this happen to anyone else."

"I don't understand any of this..." Asuka muttered. "It's ridiculous."

"Stay close to me." Ranko peeked around the corner of the hedge. The path ahead of them forked into three directions.

Asuka glanced backwards, expecting to see Chihara emerge from the shadows, coming after them. But he wasn't there. She didn't believe in ghosts or vampires or any of that stuff - at least, she kept telling herself in her mind that she didn't, despite everything happening right before her eyes - but she couldn't deny the weird vibes that man had given off.

A figure emerged from the hedge maze behind them, and Ranko shrieked. But it was only Koume, out of breath from running so fast.

"I definitely slowed him down with that spotlight, but then he disappeared. I don't know where he is," she said. "You looked really cool back there, Ranko. I actually kind of thought you had gone all blood-crazy again."

"Koume? You're..." Asuka stared at her. "You knew about Ranko? That she's, uh... a vampire?"

"You didn't? Maybe we were better at hiding it than I thought," Koume said with a shrug. "Anyways, we'd better get out of here. There's an employees-only door back the way I came that'll take us backstage, we can get out that way."

Ranko shook her head. "I must face him," she said. She placed a hand over her face, her usual dramatic gesture, but it didn't hide the fear in her eyes. "This is no place for mere mortals. The two of you must leave."

"Are you for real?" Koume said. "We're not exactly equipped for vampire slaying right now..."

"N-No, I wasn't going to... Um..." Ranko's voice trailed off. "B-But I can keep him away so you can escape. He probably has even more powers than me, so you wouldn't stand a chance against him."

"This is crazy," Asuka said.

"You need to get away," Ranko said. "Let me handle this."

"If you're sure about that..." Koume motioned to Asuka. "Let's get out of here. And, Ranko... You'd better be careful."

Ranko nodded solemnly, and vanished. Her body seemed to dissolve into the thick fog that filled the garden.

Asuka let out a gasp. "S-She just..."

"Yeah, you get used to it after a while," Koume replied. "She'll, uh... probably be okay. Let's just focus on finding a way out."

Asuka nodded, and followed Koume down the silent pathway of the hedge maze. This place really felt massive, far bigger than a simple theme park attraction had any right to be. Asuka kept a close eye on the plastic leaves of the hedges, almost expecting something to jump out at them at any moment. She followed behind Koume, though several twists and turns until finally they reached a high brick wall. The outer wall of the garden, probably.

Koume placed a hand on the bricks, feeling her way along the imitation stonework. The flimsy fake wall swayed as she touched it, breaking the illusion of solidity. Koume knocked and it echoed, hollow. She gave it a push and a hidden door swung open.

"This will take us to the backstage maintenance hallway," she muttered. "Asuka, let's go."

"You're surprisingly good in a crisis," Asuka said.

"It's like living a horror movie, isn't it? It's been that way ever since Ranko changed," Koume said with a shrug. "It's kind of fun. If we live."

Koume led the way into the backstage area - it was dimly lit with a few worklights, and in the shadows she could see spare props lining the unpainted plywood walls. Marble statues, trellises choked with fake vines, stone pots overflowing with dead flowers. She picked up a loose post from a wrought-iron fence.

"That's actually pretty heavy..." she said.

Asuka peered down the corridor, trying to see through the darkness. "You're sure the exit is this way?"

"Yeah, I... I think so," Koume said. "It looks like the way I came, at least. Let's go."

* * *

Ranko found herself alone in the center of the maze. She'd reached a wide courtyard, with a stone fountain in the center and pale marble statues all around the edges. She couldn't remember ever feeling this scared in her life. But it would have been so much scarier if anything had happened to Asuka, or Koume... She hoped they would find their way out.

"How are you enjoying your powers, Kanzaki-san?" The voice came out of nowhere - drifting on the wind.

She glanced around the deserted courtyard. "I... I don't... P-Please leave my friends alone."

"Isn't this what you always wanted?" he said. "You're no longer just an ordinary girl pretending to be something you're not. You finally have the powers of darkness you always desired."

She shook her head, and tried to find her voice. "This isn't me... I never wanted to hurt people..."

"It's only a little bit of blood." The voice seemed to move around, coming from behind her, but when she turned around there was no one there. "It's a small price to pay, isn't it? And your power... You certainly haven't been starving yourself. I can tell that much."

She thought of that puny little blood packet she had just drank an hour or so ago. Another stale donation stolen from the hospital. That was bad enough, but drinking from people was even more sickening. And at the same time she craved it. And right now, she needed that strength if she was ever going to get out of this place.

"I only wanted to give your friends the same opportunity," Chihara's voice said, now sounding like he was right beside her. "Ninomiya-san, and Shirasaka-san... They're talented, but next to you on that stage, the difference was clear. Perhaps that could change..."

"I won't let you get near them!" Ranko screamed, trying to sound convincing.

She heard the sound of laughter, a deep, chilling sound, drifting past her on the wind. He was mocking her. There was nothing she could do against a vampire so much stronger than she was.

_With that kind of power, he probably drinks fresh blood all the time..._

She spun around, looking for the exit of the courtyard, but it was too late.

Out of the clouds of fake fog and colored spotlights, she saw the tall, slender figure approach her. Memories of that first night came back as if from a half-remembered dream. She'd seen him in Tokyo, such a long time ago. He had called out her name. He had _recognized_ her.

Because he'd had his eye on her for longer than she had known.

"I'll deal with your friends later," Chihara said. "My invitation to them still stands. But first, let's talk face-to-face, Kanzaki-san."

She shook her head. "N-No... Leave them alone. Please. They don't have to be part of this."

"But don't you understand?" he said. "An idol's time in the spotlight is so fleeting. Youth and beauty are everything in this industry. You can train as much as you want, but once your time is up, none of it will matter."

She glanced behind her, seeing only the towering walls of the hedge maze. Maybe she could fly over, but he would just follow her.

"That won't happen to you, Kanzaki-san. I have given you eternal youth. Your career never has to end. Sure, we'll change your name and your appearance, but you'll always be on stage," he said. "And I wanted to invite your friends as well. Your performance tonight was truly wonderful. It won't be the last one. All of us will be together. Forever."

"I never wanted this," she said. "Y-You... turned me into..."

"I gave you an opportunity."

"You made me a _monster!_ " she screamed. "You made me... hurt Koume... and steal blood... and hide from the sun..."

Chihara's face had changed. No longer was he a handsome, elegant young businessman. His features had sharpened, contorted, until his face looked more like a demonic beast. Fire burned in his eyes.

"Come with me, Kanzaki-san," he said, taking a step forward, offering a twisted and clawed hand. "It's a small price to pay for eternal fame."

"N-No!" she shrieked. _"G-Get away from me!"_

Ranko mustered all her strength and shoved him away as hard as she could.

Chihara flew backward, and screamed. Ranko saw something jutting out of his chest. A... spiked iron fencepost. Where had it come from?

The vampire twisted on the spike and screamed, and behind him Ranko could see Koume's frightened face staring at him, splattered with blood. She gripped the fencepost like a spear, her knuckles white, as she watched the monster writhe on the end.

"No... No!" he screamed. "You deny my gift! You could have lived _forever!_ "

Ranko tried to think of the proper dramatic response in this situation, some kind of impressive one-liner the heroine should say after defeating the villain - but for once in her life she was at a loss for words. All she could see was the blood spurting from the creature's chest, staining the ground, sizzling and smoking where it fell.

"R-Ranko... Are you okay?" Koume shouted.

"What the _hell_ is happening?" Asuka was somewhere behind her, shielding her face from the erupting geyser of blood.

Ranko's voice failed. Everything was a blur. She could see the vampire let out a final scream as his body suddenly withered and turned into dust, floating away on the wind, and then finally she felt herself fading away as she fell to the ground.

The last thing she saw was Asuka running towards her, and then everything was black.


	6. Chapter 6

Ranko awoke to the feeling of warm sunlight on her face.

She screamed.

Jolting upright in the bed, she flailed about, trying to grab the sheets and cover herself up before she was burned to ash. She hoped that these thin white sheets would be enough to protect her...

"Hey, Ranko, settle down. Don't move around so much."

It was Koume's voice. Ranko froze, and looked up to see Koume and Asuka sitting by the side of her bed.

She looked around. This wasn't her room. The plain white walls, the large windows open to let the sunlight in... This was a hospital. And that sunlight wasn't burning her. Actually, it felt rather pleasant.

"What... happened?" Ranko managed to squeak out, her voice trembling.

"Well, uh..."Koume scratched her head. "The doctors said you fainted because you were anemic... They don't really know why, but they said you'd probably be okay. As long as you get some blood back in you."

Ranko glanced up and saw a blood transfusion bag hooked up on a stand by her bedside. Over the last few weeks, those had become an all-too-familiar sight. And yet she didn't feel that thirst anymore when she looked at it.

"How are you feeling, Ranko?" Asuka asked. "You fainted after Koume, well... shoved a stake through that creepy producer guy's heart."

The memories suddenly came flooding back. There had been so much blood, and the screaming... It was the last thing Ranko remembered. She felt light-headed, a little queasy.

Koume shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "Yeah, I... uh... It looked like you were in trouble," she said. "Not bad for my first real-life vampire slaying, I guess."

"The less we talk about vampires, the better," Asuka muttered. "I'm still having trouble believing any of that was for real."

"He just totally turned to dust. It was crazy," Koume said. "Chihara's officially considered 'missing,' but nobody really knew his family or anything, and they don't really suspect us of doing anything. So at least we don't have that to worry about."

Ranko looked out the window. She shielded her eyes with one hand as she looked at the bright blue sky. Her eyes weren't used to sunlight after so long - but it didn't burn like it had before.

"Did something... happen to me?" she said.

"The doctors didn't say there was anything weird about you when you came in," Koume said. "Like, you're breathing, and you have a heartbeat... I don't know for sure, but I think that when I killed the vampire who turned you, it broke your curse. You're human again."

Ranko lifted a hand to her neck, and could feel her pulse there. She felt... warm. Alive. But also terribly exhausted.

"It's over," she whispered. She took a deep breath. It felt good to breathe.

"I'm kind of going to miss getting to prowl the streets at night with a real vampire," Koume said. "I guess it's okay, though. You're still welcome to come over for movie nights whenever you want."

Ranko smiled weakly. "Thanks for everything, Koume..."

"Oh, yeah. Whenever you feel up to it, you'd better call the Producer," Asuka said. "He's been really worried about you."

"The Producer!" Ranko gasped.

* * *

The Producer heard his phone buzzing against the table. He glanced at the caller ID on the screen.

Ranko Kanzaki.

He hurredly snatched it up and answered. "Kanzaki-san?"

"Producer!" She nearly screamed the word into his ear, and he winced.

"It's... good to hear from you again," he said. "I heard that you fainted after the concert. Are you still in the hospital? Is everything alright?"

She giggled. She sounded different. Happier than she had been in a long time. "The curse that held sway over me has been broken. Once again I will be able to walk fearlessly in the light."

"That's... good, but please take all the time off that you need," he said.

"I'm really feeling a lot better! I can't wait to..." She paused, and he heard her let out a yawn. "The Master of Darkness has been defeated, and finally I shall return to you, newly reborn into the mortal world."

The Producer frowned. His notebook wasn't anywhere nearby, so he couldn't even begin to guess what Ranko meant by all of that. But, whatever it was, it sounded like she had gotten over it by herself.

"I'm... glad you are feeling better," he said.

"It was a most terrible ordeal, but I shall return stronger than ever, I assure you. I eagerly await the day when we are finally reunited."

"I will be waiting as well."

Ranko tried to let out a burst of evil laughter, but her voice was still hoarse and weak. "Until that day arrives... Drown in the darkness!" With that, she let out a small cough, and then hung up.

The Producer smiled. Some things never changed.


End file.
